Brush comprising a mechanical fixing system of tufts of fibers without the use of metal elements and related method for the production of brushes, brooms or the like

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a brush comprising a system for mechanically fixing tufts of fibers that does not requires metal elements. 
     The present invention also refers to a method for the production of brushes by means of the fixing system. 
     According to the inventions, the brush ( 10 ) comprises a support body ( 1 ) comprising a plurality of holes ( 2 ) or cavities, and a plurality of tufts of fibers ( 3 ), each tuft being constituted by a plurality of fibers substantially U-folded in their central portion, in which said tufts of fibers ( 3 ) are fixed to said support body ( 1 ) through a mechanical fixing system of tufts of fibers ( 3 ) according to which, in each of said holes ( 2 ) is inserted the U-folded end of one of said tufts of fibers ( 3 ) and an insert ( 4 ), presenting a shape partially complementary to that of the hole ( 2 ), said insert ( 4 ) being coupled to the support body ( 1 ) by means of a forced coupling; wherein said fixing system is implemented by a punching machine ( 15 ) to which said insert ( 4 ) is fed in the form of a continuous chain ( 6 ) or a continuous profile ( 7 ) which separates said inserts ( 4 ) from each other when they are inserted into said holes ( 2 ); said insert ( 4 ), said support body ( 1 ) and said tufts of fibers ( 3 ) being made of equal or different materials but compatible with each other for being recycled together.

The present invention relates to a brush comprising a system formechanically fixing tufts of fibers that does not requires metalelements.

The present invention also refers to a method for the production ofbrushes by means of the fixing system.

In the present discussion, by brushes it is meant a brush body orsupport body comprising a plurality of holes in which tufts of fiber areassociated, and which will form brushes of any type, such as for examplehairbrushes or brushes for domestic use or even toothbrushes, but alsobrooms and so on.

Brooms, brushes or similar tools generally comprise a block or supportwith tufts of fibers attached therein in appropriate holes, and whichwill form the brush portion. The methods of attaching the tufts to thesupport's holes have changed over time depending on the technologiesavailable.

The use of brushes and brooms has very ancient origins. Initially, theywere produced manually, then with the development of industrialmachinery, punching machines were devised that revolutionized andgreatly facilitated the production of brooms and brushes on anindustrial scale.

Nowadays, there are mainly two systems for the mechanical fixing offiber tufts in the supports structures, both involve the insertion ofthe fiber tufts folded in half in the appropriate holes in the supportand their anchorage to it through the use of metal wires.

The first system, shown in FIG. 1, called “staple” involves a metal wirewith a round cross-section that will be folded around the fibers andembedded in the supporting body at the bottom of the hole. The secondsystem, shown in FIG. 2, called “bar” involves a metal wire, preferablywith a flat section, which holds the tufts of fiber in the hole bygripping the sides of the same through its ends. Both systems areextremely efficient, durable and allow easy production of brooms orbrushes or similar.

However, in recent years, with the advent of plastic and its wide use,disposable tools and items have increased and the numbers of brooms orbrushes consumed have multiplied enormously, as it is an extremely cheapand easy to handle material.

As a result, the need to recycle and dispose plastic items at the end oftheir life has also increased.

Plastic is in fact an extremely recyclable material, however brooms,brushes or similar as described are not easily recyclable as they alsocontain a plurality of metal bars which make the recycling process longand costly, as it would be necessary to separate the metal elements fromthe plastic ones.

One possible solution would be to replace the metal wire with a plasticwire compatible with the material of the rest of the tool components,which would make recycling easy, immediate and cost-effective.

This is not possible because in both staple and bar systems the wire isheavily stressed, in the first case to stick in the support and in thesecond to penetrate the sides of the hole, which makes it impossible touse a wire made of plastic material to perform this function as it wouldnot be able to withstand such stresses.

Solutions in which the fibers are fixed to the substrate by fusion haveexisted for some time and these have the advantage of making recyclableproducts, however, the fusion process has many limitations and is not asapplicable on a large scale as mechanical fixing.

It is the purpose of the present invention to overcome theabove-mentioned drawbacks and in particular to devise a brush comprisinga system for mechanically fixing tufts of fibers that does not use metalelements, in particular that is exclusively made of plastic. A furtherpurpose of the present invention is to devise a brush comprising asystem for mechanically fixing tufts of fibers that enables theproduction of fully recyclable tools.

It is a further purpose of the present invention to provide a brushcomprising a system for mechanically fixing tufts of fibers that isextremely durable, efficient and economical and that can also beaccomplished with present punching machines suitably modified therebymaking possible and inexpensive the desirable transition to theproduction of fully recyclable plastic brushes.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a particularlyefficient method for production of brushes, in fact, thanks to somecharacteristics of the present invention, it is possible to condense ina single automated work unit various phases which are necessarilyseparated in current systems.

These and other purposes according to the present invention are achievedby realizing a brush comprising a system for mechanically fixing tuftsof fibers as set forth in claim 1 and a method for the production ofbrushes as set forth in claim 12.

Further features of the brush and the method are the object of thedependent claims.

The features and advantages of a brush comprising a system formechanically securing tufts of fibers and of the production methodaccording to the present invention will be most apparent from thefollowing description, which is illustrative and not limiting, referringto the accompanying schematic drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic side section view of the known “staple” typefixing system;

FIG. 2 is a schematic side section view of the known “bar” type fixingsystem;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of an insert of themechanical fixing system of tufts of fiber in brushes, according to thepresent invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic top view of a detail of a brush according to thepresent invention, with the insert of FIG. 3 inserted in a support body;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view along the V-V line of the support body ofFIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view along the VI-VI line of the support body ofFIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of an insert of themechanical fixing system of tufts of fiber in brushes, according to theinvention;

FIG. 8 is a schematic top view of the insert of FIG. 7 inserted in asupport body;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view along line IX-IX of the support body of FIG.8;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view along line X-X of the support body of FIG.8;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a preferential execution of the insertsof the type illustrated in FIG. 3 made in the form of a continuous chainto facilitate their feeding to a punching machine;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a further preferential execution of theinserts of the type illustrated in FIG. 3 in the form of continuousextruded profile;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a preferential embodiment of theinserts of the type illustrated in FIG. 7 in the form of continuouschain;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a third preferential embodiment of theinserts of the type illustrated in FIG. 3 in the form of a continuouschain with the inserts linked in a longitudinal direction;

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a plant forimplementing the method for the production of brushes according to thepresent invention.

First of all, it is to be pointed out that for clarity reasons the sameor similar elements in the various illustrated embodiments will beindicated with the same numerical references within the differentembodiments.

With reference to the figures, there is shown a detail of a brushcomprising a system for mechanically fixing tufts of fibers,collectively referred to with reference 10. The brush 10 comprises asupport body 1 comprising a plurality of holes 2, and a plurality oftufts of fibers 3, each tuft 3 being constituted by a plurality offibers substantially U-folded in their central portion. According to thefixing system, into each hole 2 is inserted the U-folded end of a tuftof fibers 3 and an insert 4 presenting a shape partially complementaryto that of the hole 2. In particular, the insert 4 is coupled to thehole 2 by a forced coupling.

In particular, the insert 4, the support body 1 and the tufts of fibers3 are made of equal or different materials but compatible with eachother for being recycled together.

In particular, the fixing system is implemented by a punching machine 15to which said insert 4 is fed in the form of a continuous chain 6 or acontinuous profile 7 which separates the inserts 4 from each other whenthey are inserted into said holes 2.

Preferably, the insert 4 couples to the support body 1 by adherence tothe hole 2.

Such holes 2 may be blind or even partially or fully open on the sideopposite the fibers.

In a first embodiment, illustrated in FIGS. 3 to 6, the mechanicalfixing system 10 includes an insert 4 that anchors into the hole 2 byfriction through dimensional interference.

In the particular preferred embodiment illustrated, the hole 2 has acircular shape and the insert 4 has a lobed section. The surfaces of thehole 2 exert compression on each other while holding the insert 4 inplace.

In a second embodiment, the insert 4 is coupled to the support body 1 inthe hole 2 by interlocking. Preferably, said interlocking takes place bymeans of suitable locking elements 5 between the insert 4 itself and thesupport body 1 at the hole 2, suitable for blocking the insert 4 in thehole 2 once inserted.

For example, the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 7 to 10 involves a hole2 having a complex shape consisting of two semi-circles and twointermediate zones with protuberances 5 towards the inside of the hole2. The insert 4, having a shape partially complementary to that of thehole, is inserted through elastic deformation into it until it overridesthe protuberances 5 and compresses the tufts of fibers 3 at the bottomof the hole. In this case the interference of the coupling becomessecondary and the restraint is ensured by the upper protuberances 5which allow, the insert 4 to be inserted by deformation, but prevent itfrom coming out. In another embodiment, the locking elements 5 may beone or more knurls, saw teeth or any other form suitable to allow theinsertion of the insert 4 but not its release.

Preferably, the insert 4 has a shape that facilitates its insertion intothe hole but prevents it from coming out, for example rounded or flaredon the end that will be inserted inside the hole 2, also to follow thenatural U-shaped curvature of the fibers.

The tightness of the insert 4 can be further improved by causing, uponinsertion, a plastic deformation of said insert 4, of the hole 2 or ofboth, the effect of which is added to those of the friction and theinterlocking.

The insert 4 of the mechanical fixing system has a larger size thanother known fixing systems, which results in the fiber tufts 3 beingdivided into two halves separated from each other by the thickness ofthe insert 4, so as to form two tufts of the brush 10.

Advantageously, such a feature suitably exploited allows to halve oranyway reduce the number of holes necessary for the realization of abrush 10 and therefore to speed up its production and reduce thenecessary costs.

In order to realize the brushes 10 comprising the fixing systemaccording to the present invention, it is extremely convenient toproduce the inserts 4 attached to each other in the form of a chain 6 soas to facilitate their feeding at high speed to the punching machine or,in their simplest execution, to obtain them from an extruded profile 7from which the punching machine cuts small segments, along the lines 8,creating the individual inserts at the time of use. Such a chain 6 ofinserts 4 can be seen in FIGS. 11, 13 e 14, while an example of extrudedprofile 7 can be seen in FIG. 12.

Advantageously, this gives the possibility to use, with slightmodifications, the traditional punching machines for the production ofbrushes 10 according to the present invention, and therefore to be ableto produce them without having to resort to or create new machinery.

Furthermore, the use of the inserts 4 according to the presentinvention, allows to realize the support bodies 1, on which the tufts 3are placed, of reduced thickness compared to those in which the fixingsystem of the standard type, with staples, is used. In fact, for theapplication of the staples, the support body needs a certain thicknessas these must be solidly embedded in it.

Advantageously, this represents a reduction in the use of plastic andtherefore an advantage from an economic and environmental point of view.

The reduction of the thickness advantageously allows to have fasterinjection molding cycles of the support, in particular thanks to theshorter cooling time necessary to bring the support body to asufficiently low temperature in order extract it from the mold. This initself is an improvement as production can be speeded up. Furthermore,it is possible to achieve the same production with smaller presses andmolds. A further advantage is that the faster molding cycle of thesupport bodies 1 becomes of similar duration to the one of the punchingmachine 15 for the insertion of the inserts 4 and the tufts 3 into theholes 2 of the same, and therefore the two machines can be joined in asingle working unit in which the injected support bodies are picked upfrom the mold by a mechanical arm and automatically placed on thepunching machine 15 which inserts the tufts 3 and the inserts 4.

In particular, therefore, the method for the production of brushes 10 bymeans of the fixing system according to the present invention, comprisesthe steps of:

injection molding a support body 1 having a plurality of holes 2;

automatically transferring the support bodies 1 just printed to apunching machine 15 to which a continuous chain 6 or continuous profile7 of inserts 4, preferably wound on reels, is also fed;

by means of said punching machine 15 inserting a tuft of fibers 3 and aninsert 4 in each of the holes 2 of said support body, separating asingle insert 4.

Advantageously, as previously explained in an optimal embodiment of themethod, the step of inserting a tuft 3 and an insert 4 in each hole 2takes place substantially without interruption after the injectionmolding step.

Advantageously, the continuous chain 6 or the continuous profile 7 arefed to a punching machine 15 of the known type, only by making a fewsmall changes. For example, compared to punching machines used for thestaple fixing systems, with wire, it is necessary to replace the wirewith the continuous chain of inserts 6.

The punching machine 15 separates the inserts 4 forming the chain 6 orprofile 7 on the breaking lines 8.

Furthermore, between said injection molding step and said insertinsertion step 4, parking and/or labeling steps of the support bodies 1produced can be included.

Finally, the method may include, following the insertion step, parking,finishing (for example scraping) and packaging steps.

The method is implemented by means of a plant for the production ofbrushes 10, illustrated according to a possible embodiment in FIG. 14,comprising:

an injection press 11, comprising a multiple cavity mold station 12;

a parking station 13;

a labelling machine 14;

a punching machine 15;

a parking station 16;

a scraping machine 17;

a packaging machine 18.

The plant also includes a finished product exit station 19.

In particular, with reference to the illustrated system, the parkingstations 13, 16, the labeling machine 14, the packaging machine 18 andthe scraping machine 17 are optional and non-essential elements for theimplementation of the method for the production of brushes 10 accordingto the present invention.

This method therefore allows to eliminate various production steps suchas those of having to put the produced supports bodies in boxes orcontainers, storing the supports bodies waiting for the following phasesand then taking them from the containers and feeding them to thepunching machine. This method advantageously allows a saving of labor,storage space, time, and therefore allows to reduce the production costsof the brushes.

Finally, it is desired to highlight that by brush 10 any type of brushis intended, as for example brushes for the production of hairbrushes,brushes for domestic use, brooms and so on.

From the description given, the characteristics of the brush and themethod which are the object of the present invention are clear, as arethe relative advantages.

Finally, it is clear that the brush and the method thus conceived aresusceptible to numerous modifications and variants, all of which fallwithin the scope of the invention; moreover, all details are replaceableby technically equivalent elements. In practice, the materials used, aswell as the dimensions, may be any according to technical requirements.

1. A brush comprising a support body comprising a plurality of holes orcavities, and a plurality of tufts of fibers, each tuft beingconstituted by a plurality of fibers substantially U-folded in theircentral portion, in which said tufts of fibers are fixed to said supportbody through a mechanical fixing system of tufts of fibers according towhich, in each of said holes is inserted the U-folded end of one of saidtufts of fibers and an insert, presenting a shape partiallycomplementary to that of the hole, said insert being coupled to thesupport body by means of a forced coupling; wherein said fixing systemis implemented by a punching machine to which said insert is fed in theform of a continuous chain or a continuous profile which separates saidinserts from each other when they are inserted into said holes; saidinsert, said support body and said tufts of fibers being made of equalor different materials but compatible with each other for being recycledtogether.
 2. The brush according to claim 1, wherein said equal ordifferent materials compatible with each other for being recycledtogether consist of plastic materials.
 3. The brush according to claim1, wherein said insert is coupled to said hole by friction through adimensional interference.
 4. The brush according to claim 1, whereinsaid insert has a lobed section and said hole has a circular section. 5.The brush according to claim 1, wherein said insert is coupled to saidhole by interlocking.
 6. The brush according to claim 5, wherein saidsupport body presents locking elements in correspondence with said holesuitable for blocking said insert in said hole once inserted.
 7. Thebrush according to claim 6, wherein said locking elements areprotrusions, small teeth or other similar protruding elements bulgingtowards the inside of said hole and said insert has a flared or roundedshape towards its end to be inserted in said hole.
 8. The brushaccording to claim 1, wherein said insert and/or said hole are deformedplastically upon insertion of said insert into said hole to improve itstightness.
 9. The brush according to claim 1 wherein said holes orcavities are blind or open, or partially open.
 10. The brush accordingto claim 1, wherein a size of said insert is increased so as toconstitute two tufts of fibers clearly separated, therefore effectivelytwo tufts of the brush or broom, making them with a single stroke of thepunching machine, thus doubling its productivity.
 11. The brushaccording to claim 1 suitable for the production of hairbrushes, brushesfor domestic use, toothbrushes, or brooms.
 12. A method for producingthe brush according to claim 1, said method comprising the steps of:injection molding a support body having a plurality of holes;automatically transferring the support bodies just printed to a punchingmachine to which a continuous chain or continuous profile of inserts isalso fed; by means of said punching machine inserting a tuft of fibersand an insert in each of said holes of said support body, separating asingle insert.
 13. The method according to claim 12, wherein said stepof inserting a tuft and an insert in each of said holes takes placesubstantially without interruption after the injection molding step. 14.The method according to claim 12, further comprising, between saidmolding step and said insert insertion step, parking and/or labelingsteps of said support bodies.
 15. The method according to claim 12,further comprising, following said insertion step, parking, finishingand packaging steps.